Interpol & African Authorities Crack Down on Cross

Neal Jetton, director of Interpol’s cybercrime directorate, commented on the success of Operation Red, saying that it “demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating cybercrime”Image Source: Shutterstock.com

An Interpol crackdown on gambling and financial crime in Africa has led to hundreds of arrests. According to officials, the operation’s success demonstrated the importance of international cooperation.

Operation Red Card Was a Resounding Success

Operation Red Card, an initiative to snuff out a fraudulent cross-border operation in Africa has had resounding success, resulting in multiple arrests. The operation, which ran from November 2024 to February 2025, resulted in the arrests of 306 people.

Operation Red Card furthermore uncovered some 5,000+ victimsof the illicit enterprise. According to officials, the criminals leveraged phishing attacks, investment fraud, online gambling and various scams and ended up causing significant harm on people and businesses in seven African countries.

The Interpol operation saw officials from several African countries, including South Aftrica, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia collaborate to tackle crime. Figures show that 40 suspectswere arrested in South Africa, while another 130, including 113 foreigners linked to gambling crime, were arrested in Nigeria. In Rwanda and Zambia, an additional 45 and 14 people were arrested, respectively.

According to Nigerian authorities, some of those foreign nationals might have been victims of human trafficking.

In South Africa, officers confiscated more than 1,000 SIM cardsand 53 computers. In Nigeria, on the other hand, officials seized 26 cars,16 houses, 39 parcelsof land and 685 electronic devices. Rwandan officers, on the other hand, seized 292 devicesand $103,043 in cash.

Officials said that the seized devices will not only disrupt the operation but also provide authorities with more information that will be helpful in tackling crime in the future.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Neal Jetton, director of Interpol’s cybercrime directorate, commented on the success of Operation Red, saying that it “demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating cybercrime.” He warned that fraudsters know no borders and can devastate individuals and communities.

The recovery of significant assets and devices, as well as the arrest of key suspects, sends a strong message to cybercriminals that their activities will not go unpunished.

Neal Jetton, director of Interpol’s cybercrime directorate

The arrests follow a recent partnership between Interpol and the African Development Bank Group.

Interpol Continues Its Involvement in the War on Financial Crime

Earlier this year, the Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit (GFIU) unveiled a new agreement with Interpol that strengthened the British Overseas Territory’s anti-financial fraud mechanisms. Per the tie-up Gibraltar will leverage the Global Rapid Intervention of Payments mechanism to freeze the proceeds of illicit operations and stop financial crime.

Speaking of Interpol, the organization recently asked for help with the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The arrest followed an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing the ex-president of alleged crimes against humanity.